Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-14
THE PALACE OF THE KNIGHTS.
Corporation Offices Cast In tho Shade by
Powderly's Headquarters.

Corporation Offices Cast In tho Shade by
Powderly's Headquarters.
It is large and sumptuous mansion
| that looms up before the eyes Of passers-
! 10y at 8l4 North Broad street, Phila-
! delphia, an imposing edifce, faced with
ornamental brownstone, with plate glass
windows curtained within with fGest real
lace. 1t is the general headquarters
of the order of the Knights
of Labor OF America, used as the
Offices Of General Master Workman Pow
derby, the members CT his executive
| board, and the general secretary and
/ treasurer, with their corps Of clerks and
assistants. Mounting the broad flight Of
stone steps, inclostd by massive stone
balusters, the caller finds himself at the
entrance in front OF pCnderous wooden
doors deliberately carved in quaint de-
signs. He cannot step inside the place as
! he would enter big railroad office or
! banking house, for its doors are fast
/ locked within. He must needs wait until
he is admitted. Your footsteps are
mutlled by the thick, soft Brussels; your
image is duplicated in the four sides of
the room by full length mirrors
built in the wall. The walls
themselves are beautified with fres-
Goes, and from the ceilings depend
costly chandeliers. You sink down in t
rich chair covered with crimson plush.
On the opposite side of the hall are NJ.
LitChman's offices. In them scores OF
clerks, women and men, are employed in
answering correspondence, filling up
blanks, making calculations and recording
memoranda. None Of these people seem.
to be particularly busy. At the other
end of the waiting room is the council
chamber of the general executive board,
separated from the reception room by
sliding door. There the general officers
sit, each behind g handsome desk, with
his books and papers spread
before him. There they order rikes
and institute boycOtts, and devise
plans for terminating Iockouts. The
chamber is lighted through a dome of
stained glass. The right sides Of the
dome are adorned with representations of
fruits and flowers. General Treasurer
Frederick Turner occupies the suite of
rooms on the second floor as his offices.
The third and fourth floors are used at
present for storage purposes.
About the whole concern there is pro-
nounCed cir of luxury and ease. 1t is a
palace-nOt an office. The unique de-
sCriptiOn OF the palace given by the dele
CATION of Knights thaC came over from
Newark the other day shows well how
the choice made by the executive board
is regarded in some quarters. The New
ark me- told their comrades at home that
1.-THE general office at Philadelphia is sim
ply immense" and that they "waded up
to their knees in velvet carpets" Those
worthy men were delighted at what they
saw. Many of the members of the order
ale gratified at the magnificence OF the
new headquarters. They feel proud that
the order to which they belong should
possess such property. But the wise
and prudent portion Of the Knights look
upon the purchase Of the North Broad
street mansion as an unwsrranted piece
of extravaganza. They think that q less
pretentious and palmer establishment
would be far better adapted to the needs
Of the order. They MAINTAIN that al
organization which was founded on
the basis OF rigid simplicity and
frugality, that is made up solely of work
ingmen, and is supported chiefly by their
hsrdearned contributions, should not in
dulge IN such luxury or lend countenance
to such OStentation. The chandeliers
alone ere worth $500 The carpets,
statues, furniture, etc, are worth many
thousands more.